Improvement in vessels for packing butter and other articles



datiert tatat @sind @Milita- WILLIAM PRATT,..0F NEWr YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 104,198, dated June 14, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN.. VESSELS FOR PACKING BUTTER AND OTHER ARTICLES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same To whom, it may concern 'Be-itknown .that I, WILLIAM PRATT, of the city,

county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vessels for Packing Butter, Lard, Spices, Tobacco, and other articles'liable to be injured by exposure to the ,high temperature of hot climates; and, inorder that others skilled may understand the nature of my invention and method of manufacture, I give the following description thereof, illustrated by the accompanying drawing and referred to in this schedule by letters and figures marked thereon.

It is a well-known fact that butter, and lard, andart-icles of like nature, when packed in wooden vessels, or those madeof a similar material, and 'shipped from temperate to hot climates, become rancid or spoiled, and that spices, tobacco, coffee, lose the best part of their peculiar aroma or flavor, especially where they are kept in bulk, or remain on hand any length of time before being used.

This diculty I have thoroughly overcome by my invention, which consists in packing such commodities in cases, of the size desired, which cases are non-conducting and impermeable to the contents thereof" and to the external air.

To eiiectthis I make my case or vesselof plaster of Paris, not confining myself to any particular size or form; but I make them, preferably, of such sizes' as shall contain definite quantities of such goods as arc to be packed in them, and I prefer to make them of rectangular shape, to economize space in puttin g them into larger packages for transportation.

The method of casting is to have a core of the size and shape necessary for the interior of the case or vessel, this core being slightly tapering, the larger end` lbeing placed upon a base broad enough to support theA other parts of the mold. At the larger end of the core (next the base) is a head or molding all around it, projecting from the sides thereof', and extending upward far enough to form the recess in the mouth of the vessel for receiving the cover. This molding or head is also to be slightly tapering, in order to allow it to be drawn easily from the plaster.

Around this core is a dissected box, with 'both ends open, the space between this box and core being that which determines the thickness of the plaster vessel, this outer box being as much higher than the core as 'will form the bottom of the vessel when the plaster is poured flush with it. It will be seen, from the above,

that the case is cast mouth downward, and that the sides, bottom, and the recess for the cover, are all formed at the time of casting the vessel. There may be a covering for the upper cnd of the outer box, with a hole through it for pouringin the plaster,'but I have found it better, in practice, to leave this entirely open,

because a slight jarring of the mold while the plaster is thin, and before it sets, will relieve the cast from airbubbles.

As soon as' the plaster has suiiiciently set in the it in the mouth of the vessel, they are now to be exposed to a snflicient degree of heat to drive off any moisture that is in the plaster. This may be done by exposure to the heat of a room or chamber of from 90o to 100O Fahrenheit. The next process is to render the vessel impermeable both to the contents of the box and the external air. When butter, lard, or spices are to bc packed, any of the varnishes, as shellac or sandurac, may be used, and these, when dried, will render the vessel impermeable to oils, air, or moisture.

Another method is to dust the vessel with inelypnlverizcd resin, and then expose it to a sntiicientlyhigh temperature to liqnefy it; and still another method is to mix a small quant-ity of resin, in a very finelypulverized state, with the plaster, before the water is mixed with it, and to dust it afterward with pulverized resin, this latter process not only making a good proofing, but is a good basis for making the spirit varnishcs, irst named, adhere closely to the surface of the vessel.

After the.vessel is filled with avhatever article it is 'desired to pack in it, the cover, which has also beenl and the entire package may thcn be covered with paper or cloth, and labeled so as to indicate its contents. Description of Drawing.

Figure 1 represents, in perspective, a square case or box, made of plaster of Paris, as above-described, the sides, cover, and bottom thereof being about threeeighths of an inch in thickness, this being suflicient for vessels of from'three to five pounds capacity, larger vessels, ofcourse, being made rather thicker'.

A A is the box;

B, the cover;

C, the tapering recess to receive thc cover, which is about the same thickness as the sides ofthe box.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the mold.

A A is the base, to which the other parts of the D D are the sides o't' 'the outerpart-of the mold. a u a a show the plaster occupying the space between the core and outer easing:r ofthe mold.

Figure 3 shows the mold, in perspective, with two.

ofthelsides of the outer casing taken ofi'.

A, the base.

B, the tore.

C, .the bead for forming,r the mouth.

D D, the sides of the outer easing.

a a a, the space for the plaster.

I would here state that, before fastening the different parts ofthe mold together, which may be done by means of clamps or dowels, it is necessary to oil or grease such of the surices as will come in contact 5 with the plaster, in order that they will not adhere to it. 'lhe molds may be made of either wood or metal, as maybe deemed desirable.

I would also state that, where pulrerized resinous substance is mixed with the dry plastenthe proportion of resin should be about one ounce to the pound of plaster. This quantity may be variedwithin moderate limits, but too much will render the substance of the vessel weaker than pure plaster, while, when used in the proportions indicated, it will be stronger than without it.

I am -aware that cases of wood, pasteboard, and paper, for packing,r butter and lard, and coated with glue, gum Arabic, and paraine, and othcrlike substances, hare been used.

I am aware, also, that shellac and other varnishes are well known to and used by dentists for protecting their plaster casts. Therefore, I lay no claim to these; but that which I do claim as novel and useful is 1. A new article of manufacture, to vwit: Abo); 'or case, made of plaster of/Iaris. for packing such articles of merchandise as are liable to be spoiled by exposure to hightcmperatures,

2. The mixing of small quantities of fusible gum J'csin with the plaster used in making the same.

3. Making vessels for holding articles of merchandise impermeable to their contents, to the external air and moisture, by dusting them with any of the fusible gum resins, finely pulverized, and exposing the same to a sufficient degree of heat to liquefyvthein, andth'us form a continuousfproof coating, all made and operating substantially as described, or their equivalents.

IVM. PRATT.

Witnesses:

kJ. E. STEvnxsoN,

L F. Porn. 

